Three-way bucket assembly for loader

ABSTRACT

A three-way bucket assembly for an earth moving machine comprising a bucket and a bucket support characterized in that side dumping as well as forward dumping are accurately conducted with less maintenance of the assembly with the use of four connecting means of the bucket and the bucket support.

Umted States Patent 11 1 3,885,694

Uchida et al. r May 27, 1975 [54] THREE-WAY BUCKET ASSEMBLY FOR 3,531,007 9/!970 Leijon 2I4/768 LOADER R26268 9/!967 Keskitalo 2l4/768 [75] Inventors: Tomio Uchida, Sagamihara;

Kisflblll'o Ombe, lsehafa, both 05 Primary Examiner-Allen N Knowles Japan Assistant Examiner-Joseph J. Rolla 731 Assignee: Caterpillar Mitsubishi 1.14., Tokyo, Q Mm),

Japan Werssenberger, Lemplo & Strabala [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1973 [30] Foreign Application Priority D t A three-way bucket assembly for an earth moving ma- OCL 25 1972 Japan H 47406206 chine comprising a bucket and a bucket support characterized in that side dumping as well as forward 52 US. Cl. 214/768; 214/146 R dumping are accufately with mime 51 1.11.0 B66f 9/00 assembly use Of mnecfing 58 Field of Search 214/145, 146 R, 768 means bucket and the bucket P [56] References Cited 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,400,845 9/1968 Salna 214/768 1 z 1/ 2O 5911 23' 2 3 E 11..

Ey i' i 1.--"? 22A. 23 I |7 4 6 I7 20 7 l 8 4 8 9 30' 3O 9 v L N R PATENTED W27 3; 8 8 5 6 94 SHEET 6 1 THREE-WAY BUCKET ASSEMBLY FOR LOADER The present invention relates to a bucket for a wheeled or crawler-tractor, and more particularly a three-way bucket assembly capable of discharging its loads to the front and both sides.

It is very often desirable for a bucket in an earth moving machine to discharge the earth collected in the bucket to the side under its operating condition, and a dump bucket assembly of one-sided dumping or threeway dumping mechanisms has been developed. Particularly, a three-way bucket assembly is capable of dumping earth not only at the front but also to the sides and is suitable for a wide range of operating conditions.

Buckets of various dumping mechanisms are already known. In one known construction, either of the two pivotal pins connecting a bucket support, connected with a lift arm ofthe earth moving machine, is detached on the right or left side manually or by complicated hydraulic circuits. The disadvantages of such systems are that operations are complicated or the detachment or attachment of the pivotal pin becomes inaccurate. Further the supporting of the bucket is poor and the bucket tends to get off the supporting, sufficient safety being not achieved. Earth sticks to pivot pins connecting the bucket and the bucket support and accumulates in the pivot holes to prevent the pivot pins from being easily inserted, and causes the early abrasion of the pins.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro vide a three-way bucket assembly for an earth moving machine having no aforesaid disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a three-way dump bucket capable of discharging earth to either side only by controlling a cylinder for unloading to the side with no need of handling the pivot pin.

It is further another object of the present invention to provide a fool-proof, safety three-way dump bucket with which at least one of the two pivot pins mounted on a bucket support is always accurately engaged and which is provided with a mechanism to accurately connect the dump bucket and a bucket support.

According to the present invention, in a threeway bucket assembly for an earth moving machine, comprising a bucket and a bucket support the bucket has a pair of first connecting means and a pair of second connecting means on its rear side and the back support comprises at least one support plate connected with a lift arm of the earth moving machine, at least one frame fixed on the support plate and laterally extended, a double rod double acting type hydraulic cylinder the center of which is pivotably mounted to the center of the frame and which has a pair of third connecting means at the end of the rod and a pair of fourth connecting means arranged on both ends of the frame and provided with pivot pins. When the hydraulic cylinder is in the inactive state. each of the first connecting means is in mesh with each of the third connecting means and each of the second connecting means is in mesh with each of the fourth connecting means. And when the hydraulic cylinder is actuated in any one direction, the bucket moves in predetermined amounts in that direction relatively to the bucket support and the second and fourth connecting means on the side opposite to the moving direction of the bucket are disengaged from each other. Thereafter while the first and third connecting means on the side opposite to the moving direction of the bucket are being disengaged from each other, the bucket starts unloading and turning around the pivot pin of the fourth connecting means located in the moving direction of the bucket.

Further according to the present invention, the threeway dump bucket assembly is characterized in that through the unloading and turning around the pivot pin of the bucket, engagement between the first and third connecting means and between the second and fourth connecting means, located in front of the moving direction, is more firmly secured.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a rear view showing a three-way bucket assembly of well-known type modifying the position for fixing a cylinder.

FIG. 2-A is a partial rear view showing a three-way dump bucket assembly of well-known type modifying a position of a pivot pin.

FIG. 2-8 is a partial view showing the connecting state of a pivot pin of FIG. 2-A.

FIG. 3-A is a partial rear view showing a three-way dump bucket assembly of well-known type modifying automatically a pivot pin.

FIG. 3-3 is a partial view showing the connecting state of the pivot pin of FIG. 3-A.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a three-way bucket assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a right-side view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the bucket slid to the left.

FIG. 7 is a rear view showing a bucket tilting to the left.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing the connecting state of a second connecting means with a fourth connecting means.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing engagement between the first connecting means and the third connecting means.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing engagement of the second connecting means with the third connecting means.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, the conventional three-way dump bucket assembly will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3-8.

In FIG. 1, a three-way bucket assembly of wellknown type comprises bucket having a mold board provided with pin means 52, 52' for holding hydraulic cylinder 51 for tilting the bucket, support member having support plates 54 to be connected with lift arms of an earth moving machine, pivot pins 53, 53 for connecting support member 55 with bucket 50, one end of hydraulic cylinder 51 being pivotally connected with support member 55 and the other end being connected with either of pin means 52, 52'. In operating an earth moving machine provided with such a dump bucket and tilting a bucket to the left, pivot pin 53' is manually disengaged and cylinder 51 is extended while the upper end of cylinder 51 is engaged with pin means 52. Bucket 50 is caused to turn around pivot pin 53 by the extension of the cylinder and adopt the state as shown in the dotted line to discharge to the left. In tilting the bucket to the right, pivot pin 53' is engaged and pivot pin 53 is disengaged, while the upper end of cylinder 51 is engaged with pin means 52'.

In FIG. Z-A, a three-way dump bucket assembly of well-known type is the same as that of FIG. 1 except that one end of cylinder 63 is connected with the center of support member 62 and the other end of the cylinder is connected with the central tip of bucket 61. When only pivot pin 64 (FIG. 2-8) connects support member 62 with bucket 61, bucket 61 is tilted to a position as shown in the dotted line by the extension of cylinder 63.

In FIGS, 3-A and 3-B, a three-way dump bucket assembly of well-known type is the same as that of FIG. 2-A except for the structure of pivot pin 74. Pivot pin 74 is automatically and hydraulically engaged with or disengaged from bucket 71.

The aforesaid known three-way dump bucket assemblies have disadvantages as described above. That is, in FIGS. 1 and 2-A, in each change of tilting direction of the bucket, engagement or disengagement of a pivot pin and/or change in positions of mounting a cylinder to a bucket must manually be undertaken with the re sult of complicated manual operations. Relating to the discharging to the side, connection of the bucket with the support member relies on only one pivot pin on either side and consequently at loading, the bucket is sus ceptible to distortion, and insertion of a pivot pin for changing the discharging side becomes difficult.

In FIGS. 3-A and 3-H, engagement and disengagement of a support member and bucket by means of a pivot pin are carried out hydraulically. At the time of loading and discharging at the front, both pivot pins connect the bucket and support member and only at the time of discharging to the side, a hydraulic pressure circuit works such that one of the pivot pins disengages from the bucket. For this reason, as compared with a bucket assembly in FIG. 2-A, the operation of pivot pins, i.e., engagement or disengagement, is easier and distortion of the bucket occurs less. However, even the bucket assembly in FIGS. 3-A and 3-B has the disadvantage that earth sticks to and around the pivot pins and the bucket is distorted to some extent. In general in the prior art pivot pins are arranged on the support member and inserted into holes of the bucket as the case may be. Pivot pins and holes easily pick up earth when they are not in use. resulting in difficult engaging operations and early mechanical wear. Tilting of the bucket is conducted with a fulcrum at the pivot pin and precision of engagement ofa pivot pin with a hole is obviously required. With such required precision of engagement, a small distortion of the bucket renders engagement more difficult.

With reference to FIGS. 4 to 10, one embodiment of the present invention which has eliminated the disadvantages of the prior art will be described below.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, a three way dump bucket assembly comprising bucket A and bucket support B is at ordinary conditions, for loading and unloading at the front without tilting to the side.

Bucket A with bottom reinforcing plates 18 has mold board 1, with sides so disposed as to be fit to the side discharging and cutting edge 2 welded to the tip of mold board 1. If need be. cutting edge 2 can be provided with teeth. On both sides of rear face 1A of mold board 1 are arranged two reinforcing plates 22, 22 the outer portions of which are welded to side boards 22A, 22A such that the reinforcing plates hold the curved bottom plate of mold board 1 therebetween. To each of reinforcing plates 22, 22 are fixed first and second connecting means 3, 3' and 4, 4'. 4A (not shown), 4A to connect retractably bucket A with bucket support B. These connecting means will be later discussed in detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. In FIG. 7, at lower edge 1' of rear face of mold board 1 are secured detector plate 7 and guide brackets 6, 6, which are arranged on both sides of detector plate 7. Detector plate 7 cooperates with detector lever 19 mounted on bucket support B to detect the normal state of the bucket. Guide brackets 6, 6 guide the bucket when the bucket slides laterally and contribute to the support of bucket A by bucket support B.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, bucket support B has plates 8 adapted to be engaged with lift arms of an earth moving machine such as a wheeled or track-type loader and two frames 9, 9' preberably composed of a plurality of parallel pipe materials parallel with each other and se cured to plates 8. On upper frame 9 is secured bracket 12 for mounting a cylinder. Hydraulic cylinder 18 is pivotably mounted on bracket 12 through pin 11. The cylinder is of double rod type, preferably double rod double acting type. The aforesaid first connecting means and third connecting means 20, 20 engaged therewith retractably and rotatably relative to the first connecting means are mounted to each tip of rods of the hydraulic cylinder. On the lower frame 9. detector lever 19 is rotatably mounted. At both ends of frame 9. the aforesaid second connecting means 4, 4', 4A, 4A and fourth connecting means 30, 30' are engaged re tractably and rotatably with each other.

Connecting relationships of a first connecting means and a third one will be described with reference to FIG. 9. Third connecting means 20 are positioned at the tip end of rods of hydraulic cylinder 18 at 20C. Third con' necting means has 2 locking members 208 secured to the rod by pin 20D. First connecting means 3, 3' secured to or integrated with reinforcing plates 22, 22' for bucket A each have an opening 3E for receiving locking member 208 and pin 20D, opening 38 for re ceiving the rod and opening 3A.

Opening 3A allows relative rotation between the first and third connecting means while they are engaged with each other and this relative rotation renders the engagement of the two connecting means tighter.

Then, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 10, relationships between second connecting means 4, 4' (4A, 4A) and fourth connecting means 30, 30' are described below. Fourth connecting means 30 has bearing means secured as by welding to plate 25', the plate being welded to frame 9 of bucket support B. At the end of bearing means 13' is secured lock bracket 17'. Bearing means 13' and lock bracket 17' each have holes receiving pivot pin 14' and rotatably hold pivot pin 14'. To both ends of pivot pin 14' is secured square slide block 10', by means of lock pin 15. Second connecting means 4' formed on plate 22' for reinforcing bucket A comprises groove 5' for receiving the aforesaid slide block. wall surface 5C forming a stop wall of the slide block and arcuate cavity 5A formed on rear wall 23 of reinforcing plate 22'. Arcuate cavity SA is located such that it contacts end circular portion 17A of lock bracket 17' when the second and fourth means relatively rotate at a specified position where the tip of block 10 comes in contact with wall surface 5C. The inside ends of the square slide block are preferably cut off at corners as shown in the Figures such that the block is easily inserted even if a slight distortion occurs in groove 5'.

Pivot pin 14' of fourth connecting means is held within bearing means 13' and, as will be described later, sealed. Thus earth will not stick to it resulting in very little mechanical wear of it. A square slide block which has worn can easily be replaced by removing pin In FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the side tilting behavior of the bucket and the function of each connecting means at the time of tilting are described. First in standard conditions, that is, at the time of digging, loading, forward dumping and the like in FIG. 4, first connecting means 3, 3 mounted on reinforcing plates 22, 22 of bucket A and third connecting means 20, disposed at both ends of a rod of hydraulic cylinder 18 are mutually engaged. In like manner second connecting means 4, 4 mounted on reinforcing plates 22, 22' and fourth connecting means 30, disposed at both ends of frame 9 are locked with each other. Secondly for side dumping, for instance. left side dumping, via pipe 31 pressure fluid is introduced into cylinder 18 to extend left side part 188 and contract right side part 18A whereby bucket A moves laterally to a position as shown in FIG. 6 relatively of bucket support B. This movement is continued until the inside end of square slide bracket 10 of left side fourth connecting means 30 comes in contact with stop wall surface 5C of second connecting means 4. At the state in FIG. 6 where the inside end of the square slide bracket is in contact with the wall surface, right side second connecting means 4' and fourth connecting means 30' are disengaged from each other. If left side part 188 of the rod is further extended and right side part 18A is contracted, bucket A turns around pivot pin 14 of left side fourth connecting means 30, at the time of which right side first connecting means 3' and third connecting means 20 are disengaged from each other. In FIG. 7, when bucket A turns around pivot pin 14, lock member 208 (FIG. 9) of left side third connecting means 20 enters opening 3A of first connecting means 3 to make the locking of first connecting means 3 and third connecting means 20 more secure. Furthermore end circular portion .17A of lock bracket 17 of fourth connecting means 30 comes in contact with arcuate cavity SA of second connecting means 4 to make the locking of second connecting means 4 and fourth connecting means 30 more secure also (See FIGS. 4, 6 and 7.).

In FIG. 8, positioner 16 is mounted on bearing means 13 of fourth comnecting means 30' and includes a spring to force a ball 16A against pivot pin 14'. Positioner 16 will not hamper the rotation of pivot pin 14 by more than a predetermined force but prevents pivot pin 14 from free rotation when second connecting means 4' and fourth connecting means 30' are released. Sealrings 40, 41 are arranged on fourth connecting means 30 between bearing means 13' and pivot pin 14' and between square slide block 10 and lock bracket 17 to prevent earth from entering the pivot pin and the hole of the shaft. Oil hole 21 is used for supplying lubricating oil to the contact surface 14A of pivot pin 14.

In FIG. 4, cooperation of detector plate 7 and detector lever 19 is described below. Placing the lever of control device 60 in L position tilts bucket A to left and thereafter placing it in R position returns the bucket A to the position as shown in FIG. 4. The detector plate 7 comes in contact with detector lever 19 to move lever 19. The movement of lever 19 is transmitted to control device via flexible cable 32 to return the lever of control device 60 to N position (neutral). The movement of lever 19 may be transmitted to control device electrically or hydraulically.

The operation of the three-way dump bucket is as follows:

In FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, when bucket A is in the state as shown in FIG. 4, loading and forward dumping are possible and the lever of control device 60 is in N position. When it is in N position, hydraulic cylinder 18 is not actuated and the first and third connecting means and the second and fourth connecting means for connecting bucket A and bucket support B are mutually locked, respectively.

Lift arms (not shown) of the loader are actuated to raise the bucket to a given height. When the lever of control device 60 is actuated to left (L), work oil controlled by the lever extends left side part 188 of the rod and contracts right side part 18A to move bucket A laterally.

As described before, the lateral movement of bucket A continues until the inside end of square slide bracket 10 of left side fourth connecting means 30 comes in contact with stop wall surface 5C of second connecting means 4. Locking of right side second connecting means 4' and fourth connecting means 30 is released by the aforesaid lateral movement of bucket A. When left side part 188 is further extended and right side part 18A is contracted, bucket A turns around pivot pin 14 whereby right side first connecting means 3 and third connecting means 20' are disengaged from each other, at the time of which locking of left side first connecting means 3 and third connecting means 20, and that of second connecting means 4 and fourth connecting means 30 become more secured. Consequently at the time of side dumping, separation of bucket A from bucket support B owing to loads on bucket A and/or vibrations of the loader is properly prevented.

When the lever of control device 60 in L position is moved to right R position, left side part 188 is contracted and right side part 18A is extended to move the bucket to a horizontal position.

In this case end circular portion 17A of lock bracket 17 is in contact with arcuate cavity 5A, and consequently bucket A is prevented from lateral movement before it returns to the horizontal state. When bucket A returns completely to the level state, engagement of end circular portion 17A and cavity 5A is completely released and bucket A moves to the right and returns to its original central position by the action of the cylinder. By the return of bucket A to the right, as shown in FIG. 4, right side second connecting means 4 and fourth connecting means 30 are again engaged. Further it is understood that locking of right side first connecting means and third connecting means is attained by the return of bucket A to the level state. When right side second connecting means 4' and fourth connecting means 30 are disengaged, relocking of both means become impossible if fourth connecting means 30' turns as by vibration. However, since positioner 16 mounted on bearing means 13 is adapted to prevent the free rotations of pivot pin 14 and square slide block 10', re locking of the two connecting means is easily achieved.

When bucket A returns to the position illustrated in FIG. 4, detector plate 7 and detector lever lQ cooperate with each other to return the lever of control device 7 60 to N position and stop the action of hydraulic cylinder 18.

The aforesaid description about the left side dumping action applies to the right side dumping action.

The above embodiment of the present invention is not to be construed as in limitation of the invention since it will be apparent that many widely different embodiment can be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a three-way bucket assembly for an earth moving machine comprising a dump bucket and a dump bucket support, the improvements characterized in that the dump bucket is provided with first and second connecting means displaced at each of its rear sides, respectively, the bucket support comprises at least one plate connected with lift arms of the earth moving machine, at least one frame is secured to the plate and laterally extended, a double rod type hydraulic cylinder, the center of which is pivotally mounted on the center of the frame and is laterally extended, is provided with third connecting means disposed at the outer ends of each rod of the cylinder, and fourth connecting means, disposed at both ends of the frame, are provided with pivot pins whereby at standard conditions when the hydraulic cylinder is at rest, each of the first connecting means is engaged with each of the third connecting means and each of the second connecting means with each of the fourth connecting means; the hydraulic cylinder, when actuated in either direction, moves the bucket laterally relative to the bucket support in the direction a given amount to release the locking of the second and fourth connecting means located backwardly of the dump bucket and thereafter begins to turn the bucket about the pivot pin of fourth connecting means located forwardly of the bucket while releasing the locking of the first and third connecting means located backwardly of the bucket.

2. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 1 in which locking between the first and third connecting means and between the second and fourth connecting means, located forwardly of the bucket is tightened by the tuming of the bucket about the pivot pin.

3. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 1 in which the fourth connecting means include bearing means secured to the frame; the pivot pin is rotatably supported on the bearing means; and a square slide block slidably engaged with a groove disposed in the second connecting means is secured to at least one end of the pivot pin.

4. A three-way dump bucket for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 3 in which the fourth connecting means include a lock bracket secured to the bearing means and having a circular end portion; the second connecting means include means engaging the circular end portion of the lock bracket upon rotation of the bucket whereby the locking of the second and fourth connecting means located forwardly of the bucket is tightened by the discharge turn of the bucket and in allowing the bucket to return to the original position, the returning turn is first made and then the bucket moves laterally to the original position relative to the bucket support.

5. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 3 in which the second connecting means have means cooperating with the square slide block of the fourth connecting means for controlling the amount of lateral movement of the bucket.

6. A three-way bucket assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which the pivot pins are stored in the bearing means and the lock bracket are not exposed to the outside.

7. A three-way dump bucket assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which at the time of unlocking between the second and fourth connecting means, means preventing the free rotation of the pivot pins and the square slide block relative of the bearing means is mounted on the bearing means.

8. A three-way dump bucket assembly for a construction machine as set forth in claim 1 provided with means for detecting the return of the bucket to the standard conditions by lateral movement after the returning turn of the bucket from the dumping position and thereby deactuating the hydraulic cylinder. 

1. In a three-way bucket assembly for an earth moving machine comprising a dump bucket and a dump bucket support, the improvements characterized in that the dump bucket is provided with first and second connecting means displaced at each of its rear sides, respectively, the bucket support comprises at least one plate connected with lift arms of the earth moving machine, at least one frame is secured to the plate and laterally extended, a double rod type hydraulic cylinder, the center of which is pivotally mounted on the center of the frame and is laterally extended, is provided with third connecting means disposed at the outer ends of each rod of the cylinder, and fourth connecting means, disposed at both ends of the frame, are provided with pivot pins whereby at standard conditions when the hydraulic cylinder is at rest, each of the first connecting means is engaged with each of the third connecting means and each of the second connecting means with each of the fourth connecting means; the hydraulic cylinder, when actuated in either direction, moves the bucket laterally relative to the bucket support in the direction a given amount to release the locking of the second and fourth connecting means located backwardly of the dump bucket and thereafter begins to turn the bucket about the pivot pin of fourth connecting means located forwardly of the bucket while releasing the locking of the first and third connecting means located backwardly of the bucket.
 2. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 1 in which locking between the first and third connecting means and between the second and fourth connecting means, located forwardly of the bucket is tightened by the turning of the bucket about the pivot pin.
 3. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 1 in which the fourth connecting means include bearing means secured to the frame; the pivot pin is rotatably supported on the bearing means; and a square slide block slidably engaged with a groove disposed in the second connecting means is secured to at least one end of the pivot pin.
 4. A three-way dump bucket for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 3 in which the fourth connecting means include a lock bracket secured to the bearing means and having a circular end portion; the second connecting means include means engaging the circular end portion of the lock bracket upon rotation of the bucket whereby the locking of the second and fourth connecting means located forwardly of the bucket is tightened by the discharge turn of the bucket and in allowing the bucket to return to the original position, the returning turn is first made and then the bucket moves laterally to the original position relative to the bucket support.
 5. A three-way dump bucket assembly for an earth moving machine as set forth in claim 3 in which the second connecting means have means cooperating with the square slide block of the fourth connecting means for controlling the amount of lateral movement of the bucket.
 6. A three-way bucket assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which the pivot pins are stored in the bearing means and the lock bracket are not exposed to the outside.
 7. A three-way dump bucket assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which at the time of unlocking between the second and fourth connecting means, means preventing the free rotation of the pivot pins and the square slide block relative of the bearing means is mounted on the bearing means.
 8. A three-way dump bucket assembly for a construction machine as set forth in claim 1 provided with means for detecting the return of the bucket to the standard conditions by lateral movement after the returning turn of the bucket from the dumping position and thereby deactuating the hydraulic cylinder. 